MEGAMAN X : PRELUDE
by Jo-Faythe
Summary: 25 years after the Nightmare Incident, but less than a decade before the retirement of X from fighting, an event occurred that became the basis of what would eventually be known as the Jakob Incident.


_Author's Notes: This short story is based off of my fanfiction, MEGAMAN X : COMPLETION. Long story short, this is what happens BEFORE X7, before Axl was found by Red. This story's place on the timeline is approximately 25 years after the Nightmare Incident in X6, but less than a decade before X7. It is recommended you read COMPLETION before you read PRELUDE, but is not needed._

_(Geezes, how many time did I say story in that paragraph...?)_

**MEGAMAN X : PRELUDE  
><strong>_A Short Story_

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. Just take care of yourself, okay?" I heard him say as he ran off towards our father's laboratory on the other side of town. His spiky ponytail blended in almost perfectly with the orange-brown skyline. His brand new blue jeans and red t-shirt were ruined, littered with holes and coated with dust and dirt. I barely got a look into his green eyes and scuffed up face, but I saw his seriousness. He was my older twin brother and it was his duty to care for me. As the younger sister I was supposed to keep him out of trouble, but right now our two jobs clashed. He was going where he wasn't supposed to go, but he was trying to protect me by finding out what exactly was going on. What should I do?

Papa always said it was too dangerous for us to go to his lab, but my brother and I didn't listen and snuck in anyways not just once, not twice, but closer to eight times, maybe a dozen in total. It wasn't all that bad, we met others like us and they were really nice. I don't know what secrets papa tried to hide there but we thought it couldn't have been that bad. But as soon as mavericks started appearing in town he and mommy went straight to the lab, telling us to stay indoors and stay hidden. We tried, but the mavericks came and tore down the house. Luckily they didn't find us, as we hid under papa's bed when the roof caved in and stayed quiet. As soon as it was quiet we dug ourselves out of the rubble.

"Erika, stay here. I'm going to look for mom and dad," brother stated in that tone he used when he wasn't joking around. I had only heard it one other time when I fell off the bridge into the river.

"What? You know they went to the lab, we both saw it. Papa said to stay here!" I cried back, not wanting him to get into trouble like he always did.

He stared back at me, his mind unchangeable, "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. Just take care of yourself, okay?"

He ran off, leaving me behind. I knew he was saddened by this, because we always stuck together no matter the situation. Mommy said we have a bond like no other, and that we were special because of it. Without each other we wouldn't be complete, whatever that meant.

As much as I wanted to trust him, his famous last words before he got caught were always "trust me"; when he made our hideout in the old mineshaft on the other side of the river, then it caved in and we barely made it out; when we took and apple from the grocer's market because brother was hungry but he got caught and got in big trouble for it...

But then again, his words also helped me overcome my fears, like when he taught me to swim in the river, when papa built the tree house it was my brother who got me up there, and when we went on that hike he helped me up every time I fell.

I was torn. I knew I had to trust him because he was my big brother, but my gut feeling told me he was biting off more than he could chew. I went after him.

I ran as fast as I could, but brother already had a few minutes of a head start and he ran faster than a rabbit running away from a hunter. My brain knew I wouldn't reach him in time, but my heart wanted to try anyways.

"_If I can beat him to the lab," _I thought, _"then he won't get in trouble."_

I searched the streets on the way there frantically, hoping I would catch a glimpse of him and convince him to come back home with me... or what little of a home we had left. The streets were bare; buildings I knew very well lay in ruins and fires raged inside of whatever still stood. But I heard no screams. I saw no bodies, nothing. What exactly was going on, and did papa know anything about it? Did papa cause it?

I shoved that thought to the back of my mind. Of course papa wouldn't do this, he was trying to save the world, not destroy it. That's why brother and I were created, and all the others like us. We were going to be the next generation.

I finally came face to face with the large complex that was my father's laboratory. The white metal walls reflected the burning scene behind me clearly. The doors were sealed shut, but I knew another way in – the same way me and brother always went in. I quickly dashed to the side of the building and saw the open vent. I snuck up towards it and felt someone pick me off the ground. I fought back but whatever giant that held me was too strong. He wrapped one arm around my body, stopping me from using my arms, so I tried kicking instead. That didn't work too well as my heel met titanium. That hurt. I didn't even try plan c – yelling for help – because I knew no one would hear me. I still tried to wiggle my way out of his arm, but he held me tighter as he brought me into the lab. He entered through those large doors and walked down a long hallway which didn't seem to end. After an eternity we reached the light at the end of the tunnel, and entered a blindingly bright room. At first I couldn't see anything, but I could definitely hear voices. I heard someone laugh like a snake.

"Well, looks like you finally decided to join us," the snake said, her voice filled with hatred and anger.

"Erika! I told you to stay away!" I heard my brother yelling at me. He sounded so scared, that wasn't like him. I knew we were in big trouble…

"Oh? Did you not listen, little girl? I guess that means I will have to punish you," the snake hissed as she finally came into view. She was tall and had a very curvy thin figure. Her skin was pasty white and her hair was darker than the night sky. Her eyes were cold and dark too.

I don't know exactly what she did to me, but something hit me in the chest and I blacked out for a moment. I cried out in pain, looked up at my brother, and my body slumped. It was like my brain released all control of my body because I couldn't move a single muscle and I felt so heavy.

"ERIKA!" I heard brother scream. The brute holding me finally let go, dropping me to the ground. I struggled to look up at my brother from the ground; he violently struggling to break free from his captor, but failing. Color started to fade from my world; everything was black and white like an ancient television screen. I heard the woman chuckle like she was watching some sort of show, and saw her approach my brother. She caressed his face and he froze, like her touch turned him to ice.

"What a brave boy you are, defying your parents and coming here anyways. You should have stayed away. I have to punish you too..." she whispered coldly, looking around the room for ideas. Her smirk grew larger by the second, and soon it was a maniacal grin as she pulled a black handle off a nearby table and activated its short plasma blade. I gasped silently as my brother fought back harder than ever against his captor's iron grip, but still could not break away from his hold.

"I'll let you go for now, but the next time I see your ugly face, I'm going to kill you," she placed two fingers between his eyes, "Bang, right between the eyes."

I couldn't look at what she would do next. I shut my eyes tight and heard my brother scream so loud in pain. I heard him hit the floor as his captor finally released him.

"X marks the spot."

I gathered the last of my energy and opened my eyes, looking where my brother lay. He didn't move, his eyes were closed, and I thought he was dead. I saw what that woman did to him: she used the knife to burn a large 'X' shaped scar on his face, the crossing point landing right between his eyes.

"Axl..." I managed to say, my voice weak and raspy. I reached out to my big brother, trying to grab his hand, but my world faded to nothingness before I could reach him.

X~X~X~X  
>END PRELUDE<br>X~X~X~X

_Final Note: Right now this is staying as a one-shot (I actually did this as an assignment for school), but I may decide to add another chapter or two just to fill in a few more blanks that happen between this and up to the beginning of X7 (if I can keep my focus for once...). Notice the big IF there. If I do not decide to continue this as a short fanfic, I will be adding whatever details I would have added here into the main story itself._


End file.
